From its modest beginnings, Christmas has evolved into the biggest celebration in the world. Now Let’s read it in detail. If you get any questions about this article, please contact WeTrans without hesitation! 从开始到现在，圣诞节已经发展成为世界上最大的庆祝活动。如此受欢迎的节日，是不是该好好了解哈勒，那就随Trans来看吧.......据说认真学东西的人最美哦

First the word feast prepared for you guys:

难点词汇意思都给你奉上啦，小伙伴们，咱先来场词汇盛宴吧：

drunkenness n. 沉醉；酩酊 feast 盛宴；宴会；节期；使人欢快的事物（或活动） ascend v. 上升；升高；登高 daunting v.使气馁

commission n.佣金；回扣;委员会 v.正式委托（谱写或制作、创作）；任命…为军官mistletoe n.槲寄生（结白色小浆果，寄生于其他树木，常用于圣诞节装饰）

reconciliation n.和解；协调；调解； palm tree n.棕榈树；棕树；

confectioner n.甜食业;糖果店；糖果制造者 divinity n.神；神性；女神；

stripe n.条纹；线条； mint adj.完美的；新造的 n.薄荷；薄荷糖；铸币厂； v.铸（币）

Yule n.圣诞节 fir tree n.冷杉树 manifestation n.显示；表示；

infant n.婴儿；幼儿；四岁到七岁之间的学童 adj. 初期的；初创期的 oak n.栎树 log n. 日志；原木；飞行日志 v.记录；把…载入正式记录；行驶；采伐（森林的）树木 solstice n.（夏或冬）至 hearth n.壁炉炉床 fertility n.丰产；富饶；能生育性；

sprinkle v.洒；撒；把…撒（或洒）在…上； mull n.乱七八糟 v.〈美口〉仔细考虑[讨论]；

splinter v.分裂；（使）裂成碎片； boisterous adj.热闹的；充满活力的；活蹦乱跳的

iron stove n.铁炉 pagan adj.异教的；非基督教的；无宗教信仰的 n.异教徒

nativity n.圣诞；耶稣降生；耶稣降生图 centerpiece n.中心装饰品；核心

Evergree n.常青树；常绿树 adj.常绿的 somber adj. 忧郁的；昏暗的；阴森的

pastry n.油酥面团；油酥面皮；油酥糕点 secular adj.现世的；世俗的；非宗教的；

crucifixion n.钉死在十字架上；十字架苦像（耶稣受难的画像或艺术品）

bishop n.主教 berry n.浆果；莓 accoutrement n.装备

哈哈，看完词汇的小伙伴们，是不是已经有点晕晕了，若想继续挑战自己，那就继续享受下面精彩的文化盛宴吧！！记住有问题找WeTrans哦，么么哒！！

A Common Date 通用日期

December 25 was a significant date for various early cultures. The ancient Babylonians believed the son of the queen of heaven was born on December 25. The Egyptians celebrated the birth of the son of the fertility goddess Isis on the same date, while ancient Arabs contended that the moon was born on December 24.

The Romans celebrated Saturnalia, a feast named for Saturn, god of agriculture, on December 21, the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. They believed the shortest day of the year was the birthday of the sun. The Roman emperor Constantine was a member of the sun-cult before converting to Christianity in 312.

Some scholars suspect that Christians chose to celebrate Christ's birth on December 25 to make it easier to convert the pagan tribes. Referring to Jesus as the "light of the world" also fit with existing pagan beliefs about the birth of the sun. The ancient "return of the sun" philosophy had been replaced by the "coming of the son" message of Christianity.

Joyful and Religious 快乐和宗教

Gradually, Christmas celebrations began to adopt the joyful, often boisterous, holiday traditions of pagan cultures. The story of the nativity was told through music, art, and dance.

Some Medieval Christians objected, however, maintaining that Christmas should be a somber religious day, not a secular festival. After the Reformation, certain Protestant groups opposed Christmas celebrations. Oliver Cromwell banned them in England. King Charles II restored Christmas when he ascended the throne.

In the American colonies, Puritans, Baptists, Quakers, and Presbyterians opposed the festivities, while Catholics, Anglicans (Episcopalians), Dutch Reformed, and Lutherans approved.

Christmas celebrations became more common in America during the mid-1800s. The introduction of Christmas services in Sunday schools reduced religious opposition, while the Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol popularized the holiday as a family event

Christmas Tree圣诞树

The practice of tree worship has been found in many ancient cultures. Often, trees were brought indoors and decorated to ensure a good crop for the coming year. Trees have also been linked to divinity. Egyptians associated a palm tree with the god Baal-Tamar, while the Greeks and Romans believed that the mother of Adonis was changed into a fir tree. Adonis was one of her branches brought to life.

The modern Christmas tree was likely born in the 8th century, when St. Boniface was converting the Germanic tribes. The tribes worshipped oak trees, decorating them for the winter solstice. St. Boniface cut down an enormous oak tree, that was central to the worship of a particular tribe, but a fir tree grew in its place. The evergreen was offered as a symbol of Christianity, which the newly converted Germans began decorating for Christmas.

Prince Albert, who was German, introduced the Christmas tree to England after his marriage to Queen Victoria in 1840. German immigrants to Pennsylvania brought Christmas trees to America.

Mistletoe槲寄生

The Druids believed mistletoe fell from heaven and grew onto a tree that sprang from Earth. Mistletoe thus represented the joining of heaven and earth, and God's reconciliation with mankind. A kiss under mistletoe symbolized acceptance and reconciliation. (Ps:给大家推荐首比伯的歌Mistletoe，MV更赞哦)

Santa Claus圣诞老人

Patron saint of children and sailors, Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop from Asia Minor. He was famous for giving gifts to children. His feast day, December 6, became a children's holiday in Holland, where he is known as Sint Nikolaas. English colonists in New York (previously the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam) called him “Santa Claus” because they couldn't pronounce the Dutch name. The English began celebrating the feast day on Christmas.

Kriss Kringle, another name for Santa Claus, developed in Germany around 1600. German Protestants recognized December 25, the birth of the Christ child, Christkindl, as the time to give gifts. “Christkindl” evolved into “Kriss Kringle.”

In the Netherlands and Germany, the Santa Claus figure often rode through the sky on a horse to deliver presents to children. He often wore a bishop's robes and was sometimes accompanied by Black Peter, an elf who whipped naughty children.

In addition to the tradition of Saint Nicholas, the three Wise Men gave gifts to the baby Jesus, starting the Christmas gift tradition.

Read Names for Santa Around the World

Christmas Holly圣诞红的叶片

One of the most popular Christmastime accoutrements, holly has sharp edges, symbolic of the crown of thorns worn by Jesus at his crucifixion. The red berries represent blood.

Yule Log圣诞节原木

The word yule meant “infant” in the language of the Chaldeans, who lived in the Middle East. The Germanic tribes of Northern Europe, including the Anglo Saxons, celebrated “Yule-day” or “Child's Day.”

The custom of the Yule log has been noted in France and Italy as far back as the 1200s. It later spread throughout Europe. On Christmas Eve an enormous log would be cut and placed in the hearth. The log would be sprinkled with salt, oil, and mulled wine, and prayers said to protect the house from the Devil and lightning.

In some regions, the daughters of the family lit the log with splinters of the previous year's log. In other regions, the lady of the house had the honor of lighting the log.

As iron stoves replaced giant hearths in the 1800s, Yule logs became decorative, often being used as Christmas centerpieces and decorated with evergreens and candles. Cooks began creating pastry Yule logs, rolled cakes covered in chocolate or coffee and decorated with sugared holly and roses.

Candy Canes 棒棒糖

Some scholars believe a confectioner developed candy canes to represent Jesus. The shape of the "J" was for Jesus, or the shepherd's staff. The white color symbolized purity, while the red stripes indicated blood. Peppermint is similar to hyssop, the Middle Eastern mint mentioned in the Bible.

Christmas Cards 圣诞贺卡

The custom of sending Christmas cards started in Victorian England. Earlier, some adults had written Christmas letters. But letters took time to write; and people wanting to share season's greetings with many others had a daunting task.

In 1843, British businessman Sir Henry Cole asked artist John Calcott Horsley to print some Christmas cards. One thousand cards were printed in black and white and then colored by hand. The cards, which depicted a happy family raising a toast to the recipient, were criticized for promoting drunkenness. In 1851 Richard Pease, a variety store owner, commissioned the first printed Christmas card in the U.S.

London printers Charles Goodall & Sons became the first to mass-produce Christmas cards. In 1862 they created cards saying “A Merry Christmas.” Later, they designed cards with various designs, including robins, holly, mangers, snowmen, and even Little Red Riding Hood.

（PS：最后献上比伯另一首The Christmas Song）

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圣诞节英文介绍